Monday, February 14, 2011

Students Hunt Down Phantom Load On Campus

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Students from several area colleges have been hunting down 'phantom load' on their campuses.  Phantom Load refers to energy that is being used when equipment is plugged in but not being used.  PowerMinders students have been called to help identify places to save energy on campus.  "Campus libraries are increasingly becoming technology centers," reports PowerMinders faculty advisor Dr. Eric Malm.  "Libraries are packed with computers, printers and other devices.  They're also closed for many hours a week, making them big sources of phantom load."

The student search for phantom load is being translated into savings through the use of a new 'smart plug' technology called BERT.  "Several campuses throughout the state-- Penn State, Philadelphia University, Cabrini-- for example, are showing how universities can save energy.  The technology, created in Pennsylvania, allows plugs to be controlled remotely using an existing WiFi network," reports Bob Fiori.